The River
by DefendTheUndefended
Summary: Ace was born a mermaid, not a human or fishman, but a mermaid. How would this change his story? His life? His view on life? As he goes through it he will find out suprises about himself, gain new friends, and live life to the fullest. (Ill make a better summary at a later date.)
1. 1.) Goodbye

1.) Goodbye

A/N IMPORTANT. I don't own One Piece. I'll come up with a better summary later..

I'm currently making a design for exactly what Ace looks like as a mermaid, I'll post it on my tumbler once it's finished. I hope you enjoy and I love you guys!

Also these chaps are unbeta'd since both me and my beta have been too busy with our studies to beta the chaps.. I'm sorry for slow updates on all my stories and I hope to get more out soon! I've been writing any ideas down I have for my stories all I have to do is write out the scenes and put them together and I'll be able to publish them hopefully. Everyone in the path of Florence I send my prayers..

-DTU

——xXx——

The ocean waves seemed to dance around the two women submerged in the water, long peach colored strands of hair circled around one of the two as the conversed, a shadow was cast over them as a cloud covered the sun from their skin.

"Are you sure Rouge?" The younger of the two, a blonde with short cropped hair asked with a worried look on her face. Paying no mind to the half fish half men floating behind her, who wisely chose to stay quiet. She grasped the other woman's hands under the water. "To leave at a time like this with and in such a state-"

"I know, sister.." Rouge cut her off, her wet bangs covering her eyes as she looked at the waves they were floating in. A tremor shook her lips and the blonde female felt herself stop breathing as a single wet streak made its way down her normally so strong sister's face. The eldest looked up, a forced shaking smile on her face, the sun sparking off her hair making a halo-like glow appear on the peach strands. "But I have to. I have to see him one last time. I know the risks especially with our little one, but I love him. I love him and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't do this, Otohime."

Otohime's eyes widened and her eyes her eyes welled with tears at the pain her sister was feeling. Their was a breathy whisper of "Princess" behind them but she ignored it.

"Rouge..." she shot forward in the water, pushing them slightly as her sister lost her balance for a moment in the water at the unexpected movement. "I'm so sorry Rouge!! Please please be safe. Please please please come home after your trip! We'll be waiting! We love you!"

Rouge's arms came up and encircled her sister, her silly little crybaby sissy, her mind flitting back with happier times when they'd race amongst the currents only for the one in her arms to come crying to her after running into a coral or larger fish, a bump on her forehead and tears in her eyes only to instantly smile when her older sister hugged her.

She pulled herself out of memories and let her head rest for a moment on Otohime's shoulder. Her arms squeezing the blonde back just as tightly before she pushed herself away with pain in her eyes and a trembling smile on her face. "I love you as well. Don't get into too much trouble ok? Sissy."

Otohime's hands covered her mouth as she nodded and watched her sister turn and leap out of the water to dive back under and catch a current.

She didn't realize at the time that the last memory she'd ever have of her precious, fiery, big sister would be the sun sparkling like diamonds off Rouge's rose red tail as it disappeared back under the water.


	2. 2.) Moments

2.) Moments

She could see the boat breaking the steady surface of the waves ahead of her and a hitch in her chest made her falter a moment before, with a single flick of her tail, she righted herself and shot herself ahead like she had never done before, adrenaline and irrational fears pumping through her blood. An urgency to see the one she loved, the father of her unborn child one last time before he escaped her...forever.

At the edge of the ship's shadow she twisted in the water and with a powerful twist with her tail, shot herself upward, water trailing after her as she broke the surface and arched over the railing.

She spotted him on deck while she was in the air, staring at her with wide, startled, dark grey eyes and donning the captain's outfit she hadn't seen him touch in a year.

She landed on the deck with a hard thump and slight wince and she instantly felt a hand on her, helping her as she pushed herself up.

He just stared at her with those wide eyes, like he couldn't believe she was there. She glanced over him quickly, noticing how much more haggard he looked. It reminded her why he was doing this, and she understood why as he had explained that much.

That didn't mean she liked it.

She twisted quickly and nailed him with the scaly part of her tail, right in the head, a hot flash of anger filling her and edging her on as she nailed him with the most powerful part of her body and yelled at him.

"Roger! How dare you tell me what your planning over a snail phone! Were you not going to let me say goodbye?! Were you not going to let me tell you the news!?! Did you not think I'd track you down?! You bastard." The last two words were said in a quiet cold voice as she raised a fist threateningly, shaking in anger a vein throbbing on her neck.

He raised his arms in attempt to block her tail from connecting to his head again, and quickly spewed out words. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! There wasn't time! Rouge I'm sorry! Pleaaassee stop!"

She relented and let her tail fall against the deck heavily and leveled him with a glare as he sheepishly scratched his head while looking at her.

She leveled her glare at the only other two occupants of the boat and noted they had pinched looks on their faces, and backed up instinctively when her glare landed on them. "Shanks, Rayleigh.. did neither of you think to make him do it some other way?!"

They both shrank back and the red haired teen stepped slightly behind the older man beside him. Rouge rolled her eyes and looked back to Roger she sighed at his sheepish look and the angry look on her face softened. "You could have at least come to Sabaody so I could say goodbye to you." He winced and looked even more guilty.

"I'm so sorry Rouge."

She shook her head and sighed looking back to her love's past crewmates, her voice was soft, a sharp contrast to her harsh fury moments before. "Would you two give us a minute."

"Sure Rouge." Rayleigh was the one to speak as he grabbed the red head's arm and pulled him into the cabin.

She looked back to Roger and he was looking at her again. He opened his mouth to say something, only for her to cut him off as she kissed him. She pulled away after a minute. Feeling his arms wrap around her and pull her close, she maneuvered her tail to wrap around his back as he placed her in his lap, she leaned her forehead against his chest. "You don't have to explain to me why you're doing this... I'm not ignorant or naive enough to not understand.. I'm not here to beg you not to, or to steal you away from this ship.. that'd only put you in more pain..."

"Rouge.." his voice was quiet but she let it wash over her, knowing very well she may not hear it like that again. She listened to his breathing for a moment feeling the slight rattles the shook his lungs and the almost unnoticeable trembles that had possessed his arms the past few months.

She opened her eyes and inhaled his scent as she spoke. "I don't want to hurt you... but I have to tell you.. you have to know..."

He pushed her slightly by the shoulders so he could look in her eyes a confused look on his face. "Rouge, what are you talking about? What news were you meaning earlier?"

She smiled shakily and grabbed his hand, slowly shifting it to rest over her lower abdomen. She left it there for a moment and she felt him still completely. She smiled. "You're a father Roger."

His eyes grew wide and a large smile broke on his face. He was the one to kiss her this time and she relished it.

Banishing the painful air and daunting approaching future that would await the end of this ship's voyage.

If only for a moment.

She'd treasure the last few days she had with him, never letting her thoughts trail to what would await her love at the end of the waves.


	3. 3.) Solo

3.) Solo

He was on the scaffold and she couldn't take her eyes off him as he shouted what would be the beginning of the Great Pirate Era. She was watching his last moments from the crowd, her lower half covered by a long white dress that reached below the tips of her tail as she sat on a crate Shanks and Rayleigh flanking both sides of her.

She didn't take her eyes off the one she loved, but she could almost feel the trembling of the red head beside her and absentmindedly reached out and pulled him into a hug against her chest, making him shuffle a little as to not off balance her, as his captain's- his, Strawhats covered his eyes that leaked his tears.

Rayleigh acted as a still pillar in the little corner of shadows they were in as she leaned against his side, his arm reaching around her back and touching both her and Shanks as a way of comforting them.

The crowd roared and the swords raised. She flinched and found herself biting her lip and squeezing her eyes shut as she turned away burying her face in the red hair of the teen in her arms. The sound of the swords sinking into him seemed unnaturally loud though and her arms tightened around the red head.

A second later there was suddenly loud pounding of feet as people rushed around to try and set out to sea, the result of his last words. She felt Rayleigh shift and suddenly his presence was in front of her, his arms encircling her and trapping Shanks, who had started to lean heavily against her, between them.

She glanced up through tears eyes and noticed the bodies rushing behind Rayliegh's form and the small jolts as people ran into his back in the rush. His face wasn't pained from them though and instead there seemed to be a sad calm cloaking his features.

She couldn't do no more than let her head fall back on top the mop of red strands and cry.

——xXx——

"Are you sure Rouge?" She glanced up from the water and looked at Shanks who crouched on the rock beside her. Rayleigh behind him and looking down at her contemplatively.

They were in the middle of East Blue's waters, barely any other ship in sight since they all left quickly heading for the red line in search of the One Piece. She glanced back at the two man shop on the other side of the rocklike piece of land. She nodded. "Yes. I'm sure... it was already going to be dangerous trying to head back, but with the stampede of sailors and pirates heading the same way, and the little one draining me it'd be too much of a risk."

Rayleigh made a low noise in the back of his throat. "Mm. I could take you back myself Rouge.." he trailed off as she shook her head.

"I know Ray.. but I don't want to also put you at risk more than you will be with marines on the hunt for the rest of Roger's crew... besides.." she looked back over the almost still waters around them. "It's become quite.. still here.. quiet... where as Fishman Island would be safe, I can also make do and protect myself just as much here. Especially with barely anyone even believing in mermaids around the East Blue."

Rayleigh looked to the sky in a resigned manner and Shanks sighed. "If you think that's best Rouge."

She looked back at the red head and nodded. "I do."

He half smiled at her and she smiled back reaching her hand up and touching his cheek. "Don't worry for me Shanks. I'll be fine." He nodded slightly and looked down at the waters between them. She felt a spark of playfulness and a desperate urge to make him cheer up a bit and grabbed ahold of his hat, pulling it down so it forcefully covered his face.

He flailed for a second, startled before she let go and he quickly righted the precious gift from his old captain. He looked at her with slightly wider eyes and she smiled at him. "Go make him proud Shanks, become a great captain like you said you wanted to."

He was silent for a moment before a true smile bloomed on his face and he nodded, she smiled back at him, already feeling proud of the boy she viewed as a little brother.

Shanks felt a nudge on his shoulder and automatically stood, vacating the spot he had been in so Rayleigh could crouch in front of the mermaid. "Rouge... I promise, if you need anything- anything at all I'll come find you."

She was slightly startled by his offer but she revived and nodded at him taking his hand and clasping it between hers. "Thank you, truly, Ray. But.. I'll be okay."

He was silent before he nodded with a sigh. She let go of his hand and started to push herself away from the rock. She raised a hand a waved at them. "Thank you two. So much. For everything."

Shanks raised his arms high and waved and Rayleigh tilted his head in her direction, standing and crossing his arms over his chest with a smile on his face.

She glanced at them one last time before turning and sinking below the waves, onto find herself a place to hide and wait out the marine's search for Roger's child, based on a rumor.

She couldn't afford to let her child be born before the search was over. After all, she didn't know if the little one would be born with legs and lungs for air, or a tail and the gift of the sea.


End file.
